The former MVP point guard tore the meniscus in his right knee at Portland in November and was ruled out for the remainder of the season by the Bulls. He sat out last year while recovering from surgery to repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee.

Thibodeau says Rose is ''nowhere close to practicing,'' but he is able to run and perform lateral slides. The coach also repeated several times on Wednesday that Rose will miss the rest of the season.